The pounding Tennessee forward Jeronne Maymon had taken during a demanding 2011-12 was apparent in the Vols’ final game against Middle Tennessee in the NIT on March 19.
Maymon didn’t start and played with a brace on his right knee, and though he still managed 17 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes, he looked as though he was struggling.
A day later, Maymon underwent knee surgery.
On Friday, Maymon was back under the knife, this time on his left knee, to repair a meniscal injury.
Tennessee trainer Chad Newman said Friday's procedure went well, and an initial estimate for Maymon's return to activity was set at four- to six week weeks. Maymon should be ready to go by the time Tennessee departs for its summer exhibition tour of Italy on Aug. 5.
"Any surgery — just by the nature of what it is — is a big deal," Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin said. "So there's really never a 'minor' surgery. But this isn't something any of us are too worried about. Jeronne should be full go for the trip to Italy. If there's ever a good time to get something like this done, this is it."
• In other Tennessee basketball news, sophomore forward Jarnell Stokes has been selected as one of 14 finalists to continue competing for a spot on the USA Basketball U18 national team. The roster will be trimmed to 12 players by June 12, when the team travels to Sao Sebastiáo do Paraiso, Brazil, for the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which will be played June 16-20.
"This trials has been very difficult," said USA Basketball men's junior national team committee chair Jim Boeheim, the long-time Syracuse head coach. "You had 23 guys who all are really good players; there wasn't a bad player here. To get down to 12 is going to be difficult, but I think we're going to end up with a really good athletic team that is going to be very well coached. I think we've got an unbelievable coaching staff. I think we've got guys that have won, been winners, won state championships, and I think they'll represent USA Basketball extremely well in this tournament."
A native of Memphis, Tenn., who graduated high school early and enrolled at UT in January, Stokes made a huge impact for the Vols during the second half of the season. He averaged 9.6 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting .534 from the field en route to SEC All-Freshman team honors. Stokes also led the Vols in blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and logged a pair of double-doubles.
Stokes is the lone collegian on the U18 National Team, which requires players to have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1994.
"I think it was very, very difficult for the committee to get this group narrowed down just because there were so many good players. I thought for the past three days their effort was great," said U18 head coach Billy Donovan, the Florida coach who saw Stokes in action in the Southeastern Conference last season.